


He makes me laugh

by TheAlwaysUsedTeaBag



Series: Super in Love [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reformed Villain, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, M/M, Superheroes, nothing quite explicit, nsfw-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 06:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14158674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAlwaysUsedTeaBag/pseuds/TheAlwaysUsedTeaBag
Summary: Aaron was a villain, until Alexander, a hero who was his nemesis, had managed to convince him to join his side. No one in the organisation Alexander works for trusts him, even after two years of working there, despite his reformation and what he could offer the organisation. There's a deeper bond between him and Alexander than anyone suspects, and they go against their boss's orders and fight together.





	1. Chapter 1

Aaron and Alexander were called, by the annoying emergency alarm, into the 'information room' as Aaron liked to call it, because nobody had cared to tell him the actual name of the room and the name he had given it was just vague enough to fit. He had been accepted into the team with a lot of difficulty. Although, calling this being 'accepted into the team' might have been a bit of a stretch, even if Alexander liked to try and convince him otherwise. It was more of a 'begrudging tolerance but only because he trusts you and would leave if we refused to work with you and he's our best and most important worker' as Angelica liked to remind him. To put it more simply: No, he wasn't accepted, hardly even tolerated, not by a long shot. And he really couldn't blame them for this. After all, he had been their biggest foe for the past ten or so years, who was really counting? Alexander would be. He regretted those years now, a lot. Alexander had made him regret them and had made him promise him to 'strive to be better than that' in the future. A vague enough demand for his trust, but he had taken it. No one in HQ knew how Alexander had managed to bring him, their biggest foe, onto their side, and he and Alexander had made it a bit of an inside joke, especially when John, the only one who was a bit more accepting of his presence (or perhaps he was just apathetic towards it) in HQ and as Alexander's partner (because Alexander had insisted and he always seemed to get his way here), had joked that Alexander had 'probably wooed him into submission'. Alexander had laughed along with those jokes and had begun to make it their joke to make up the story of how Alexander had managed to make this change of heart happen, and the story never stayed consistent, and it became stranger and more outlandish every time it was told, and it was even worse when Aaron and Alexander were both 'telling the story' in the same room, constantly interrupting each other to add details that the other had 'forgotten' ("You forgot the robots, Alexander.", "How could I possibly forget the knife-wielding robots you made? Classic!"). Aaron had been Alexander's partner for a bit over two years now, and they had grown closer than their Villain/Hero relationship had allowed them to be. And now they were called, via annoying emergency alarm, into the 'information room' by Angelica and John. While Alexander rushed into the room, Aaron took his time, because he wasn't nearly as fast as Alexander. The emergency alarm didn't stop even as he finally entered the room, much to his annoyance, until Alexander smashed the red button that had called the alarm and it turned off.

"That alarm is almost as annoying as Aaron's!" Alexander yelled and pouted when Angelica threw him a glare.

"I can vouch for that," Aaron added, "Mine's louder."

"Yeah, you sleep like a rock that's been thrown in the dead sea. If I didn't know any better I'd think you're dead every time you fall asleep," Alexander grinned, eliciting a short chuckle out of Aaron's throat.

"Lovely, really, but the emergency alarm didn't call you for a tea party," Angelica sneered at Aaron.

"Really? I brought tea bags and everything!" Alexander whined, holding up tea bags by their strings, "I got earl grey, green tea, lemonade, chamomile, lavender-"

"Oh, lavender, please," Aaron interrupted and Angelica groaned.

"Enough. We have something big here, and I don't need your joking around, Alexander. If I could direct your attention towards the screen," she said, pointing towards one of the screens on the wall, where John had pulled up a video of a bank being robbed. Though this wasn't the interesting part, far from it, but rather _who_ was robbing it. Alexander and Aaron watched the screen intently, curious to see what would happen. A group of masked people, very original, Alexander muttered, rushed into the bank with guns, yelling for everyone to get on the ground, everything pretty standard stuff to Aaron, as he'd been the leader of such robberies every once in a while to pay for some of his schemes. Being a villain didn't pay well without drawing too much attention to yourself. A bit peculiar was the number of robbers and how there were enough to hold down every person in the room and still have enough to grab the money. But then, and quite suddenly, another person came... floating into the room, hands and fingers outstretched, commanding the attention of everyone inside except for the masked people, obviously their lackeys, as Aaron noted by the way they ignored this person and continued with their work. After a moment Aaron noticed how the masked people were neither masked nor people. They were puppets, as he noticed the thinnest of black strings going to the hands of this person. Gears turned in his head as he tried to remember why this person was so familiar to him, until the robbery was done and the person commanded their puppets out again and turned around, the camera briefly catching their face and it suddenly clicked in Aaron's head. Alexander noticed this shift in his partner immediately and couldn't help but grin. The video ended and Angelica looked at Alexander oddly and with a frown.

"I don't see why you're grinning, Alexander, this is not funny, at all. We are dealing with a new villain here," Angelica frowned and Aaron raised a brow at the phrase 'new villain', "We have no idea who this is, what their motives are or-"

"I think Aaron knows, if his expression tells me anything," Alexander said and Angelica looked at Aaron for a moment, then back at him.

"His face literally didn't change," she replied dryly. Alexander shrugged and Aaron opened his mouth as Alexander nudged him.

"That," he pointed at the screen where John had rewinded the footage to show the person's face, "is the Puppeteer. He is not a 'new villain', you should know. He's been in the game for about... seven years if my math is correct-"

"And it always is," Alexander interrupted with a grin and Aaron rolled his eyes fondly.

"His powers are, as his name suggests, to puppeteer. His first choice for a super villain name was actually 'the Dollmaker', but I could make him reconsider, as his powers had only little to do with making dolls, only to puppeteer them. He can use the strings that come from his fingers to make anyone his puppet, but controlling living things is still difficult for him, I see, so he sticks with the puppets he makes. I must compliment him on his work, one could almost not tell, the way he let them move. He has improved, both in his making of the puppets and his controlling of them, I must admit. Though I am surprised that he would want to make such a statement..." Aaron continued and Angelica and John both raised a brow at him in surprise.

"You know this guy?" John asked and Aaron nodded.

"He's a nice guy, can't hold his liquor, though he's not an absolute lightweight. Back then he preferred not to harm too many people, physically that is, unless absolutely necessary. He could not see blood, at all. I haven't seen him in a long time, I was wondering what he was doing," Aaron explained.

"And exactly how do you know him?" Angelica asked impatiently.

"Teamed up once. Minor scheme from him, that's why you wouldn't know about it. He asked and I helped, split the result 50/50. I did the more bloody work and introduced him to a lot of the resources I used, since he was basically just starting out. The black market, the scarlet market- Ah, you don't know about that one," Aaron said and Alexander excitedly raised his hand.

"I do! You tried to sell me there once!" he grinned and Aaron returned a tiny smile, unnoticeable by anyone who wasn't standing extremely close to him. Angelica glared at Aaron.

"I remember," he said, very fondly and Alexander snorted.

"You were so outraged at how little people would pay for me that you set me free again! First signs of a soft side in you," he grinned and poked Aaron's cheek, "And it was sweet to know that you thought me worth more than a million bucks."

"With your powers, I was surprised not to see the numbers rise to billions. Then again, perhaps too many of them knew your reputation, or rather your mouth's reputation to run off. That would have dropped the price," he let out the softest of chuckles and Alexander beamed. Angelica made a disgusted face. She couldn't believe Alexander could joke so lightheartedly about something like that.

"Continue," she spat and Aaron directed her attention to her again and nodded.

"Of course. I introduced him to the resources I used back then, though, admittedly, some would be outdated by today and useless for a proper villain, super or not. I got to know him a bit over the teaming up, but after that, I hardly ever met him again, let alone heard of him. He used to stay on the down low. I wonder what happened for him to make a statement like that?" Aaron mused and John raised a brow, leaning back in his chair.

"A statement? You call this a statement?" John asked, pointing to the screen with his thumb. Alexander giggled, knowing what was about to happen.

"Well, as I mentioned, he used to stay on the down low. He didn't like attention. He knew, like I, though he was small enough for it to work for him, that attention is the last thing you really want unless you want to be taken down several notches by the local superhero. That's what you don't want," Aaron explained.

"And you only got me glued to you because I met you on the street!" Alexander supplied with a proud grin.

"Yes, that fateful day when we collided and you triggered my powers by accident and compared it to your data of bigger supervillains. I am still not sure whether to thank you or kick you for that day," Aaron said, without any actual malice or threat in his voice and Alexander booped his nose.

"I know you mean you love me!" Alexander laughed, before becoming a bit more serious, "Is that guy a real threat? I mean, like a big threat?" he asked and Aaron shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Like I said, this is a statement. He wants attention. Perhaps even our attention or that of another superhero specifically. He wants the attention of someone who could stop him... he wants to challenge... he wants a challenge. And he knows with a statement like this he'll get it," Aaron answered and Angelica hummed in thought.

"Any clue what he's up to?" she asked and Aaron shook his head.

"I haven't seen him in years, mind you. For all I know, he could have changed into a bloodthirsty, cannibalistic demon with a knack for collecting stamps in the time I haven't seen him," Aaron said and Alexander snorted at his statement.

"So we got nothing. Great," Angelica grumbled.

"That's not true," Alexander defended, "We know now who he is and what his powers are and possibly places where we can find him! I wouldn't call that nothing..."

"But without knowing what he wants to do we might as well have nothing!" she exclaimed, letting herself fall into another chair and crossing her arms, "So unless you got another something up your sleeve, all we can do is wait."

Aaron raised a brow and took out his phone from a secret pocket in his sleeve, the phone he had used when he was still a supervillain, and he looked through his contacts, finding the one he needed quickly. Alexander looked over his shoulder and grinned. Aaron hit the contact and his phone began dialling. He held the phone out, turned the speaker on loud with a straight face and waited a moment, before someone picked up.

"What do you want," came a gruff voice from the phone.

"Hey 'Teer, what're you up to?" Aaron asked, keeping cold eye-contact with Angelica. Angelica and John's eyes widened in shock and they stared at Aaron. Alexander snickered quietly in the background.

"Why do you want to know?" the Puppeteer asked, only mildly annoyed.

"I've been going through my contacts and saw your name and I remembered - I think it was on the news or a hacked camera, who knows - that I saw your face robbing a bank. What's up with that? I thought you don't like the attention," Aaron asked, most casually and Angelica was quietly dying in her chair. John didn't know whether he was dying or wishing he would die that very moment, while Alexander had a field day noiselessly laughing at them.

"It's on the news already?" the Puppeteer asked, "That was quick. Then again, you got a weird way of getting information."

"Like I said, either the news or a hacked camera, I forgot where I watched it on, but I immediately recognized your face. Great work on those puppets, by the way. If I didn't know any better I would have thought they were people. So what's up with the sudden attention-grabbing?" he asked again and the Puppeteer groaned.

"Ha, thanks for noticing! I knew this wouldn't get past you. Yeah, I want the attention of some people, but I mean, the attention of the big fish, you know? What good does it do me to stay on the down low, unopposed, because no one knows of my existence? Nothing, that's what it does," he explained and Aaron rolled his eyes.

"No one knowing you prevents anyone from finding and stopping you. I thought I taught you something that time we teamed up?" he scoffed and the Puppeteer snorted.

"Yeah, you did, but I figured, what good did it do you? You're on the down low right now, the real deep down low, because this one superhero still found out about you! How's that going for you anyways? Did you change locations?" the Puppeteer mused and Aaron shrugged.

"It's been calm, not that I mind. I've changed locations a lot, what about you? Still in the same dump you call a base?" he asked and the Puppeteer scoffed.

"It's a perfectly good location, fuck you," he grumbled.

"Anyway, that was an unforeseeable accident, worsened by the fact that I'm a more known supervillain in our circles. A one in a million type case, and you know that. I was just unlucky," he said and Alexander almost pouted at these words, "But anyway, what're you scheming that you want some big fish attention on you like you have a superiority complex?"

"Oh, it's something big, something gigantic, and it's gonna involve some explosions and some taking over the city, before moving onto the state and then the whole continent," they could basically hear the grin in the Puppeteer's voice.

"So you're going for the 'Big and Loud' aesthetic? I hope for you that you can pull that off without being taken down. Any specifics you'd like to share? Perhaps you'd like my professional opinion on something," Aaron smirked and the Puppeteer laughed.

"Yeah, actually, I could use a second opinion on this. It's so big I'm almost losing sight of everything. I know you got an eye for detail, a better eye for detail than me, so maybe you could take a look at it. Don't be surprised at how similar it may or may not look to one of your plans from way back when... I may or may not have gone through your archive- before you complain, it was the public archive, not the one you once shared with me that one time. I swear I deleted my password of it, I swear. Anyway, I might have gotten inspired by your early prototype of that- what did you call it?- the 'core magnet'?" the Puppeteer rambled.

"The 'core magnetiser'. I recall it being a failure? Did you work out the kinks? Now that I remember it, the mistakes I made were glaringly obvious. The wiring was wrong. Alas, I'm no Electronique. But what would you want with the core magnetiser?" Aaron asked and the Puppeteer grinned (it was accompanied by an audible and pleased hum).

"Well, I reworked it a little bit, repurposed it, if you'd rather call it that. The core magnetiser was supposed to steal electricity, right?" the Puppeteer snickered and Aaron nodded.

"Pretty much, yeah. So, what did you turn it into?" he asked and the Puppeteer laughed.

"Well, I don't want to brag-"

"You totally do," Aaron interjected and the Puppeteer snickered.

"Of course, I do! I repurposed it so it steals energy, but not just any kind of energy-"

"Life-force?" Aaron guessed and Alexander raised a brow, especially when the Puppeteer groaned.

"That obvious?" he whined and Aaron nodded.

"Extremely. I recommend being careful with it, too. Last time I dealt with life-force it didn't end too well for me. I was just lucky I had already had to replace my lungs once, is all I'm saying," Aaron mused and the Puppeteer hissed, imagining the pain.

"Dude, how much actual flesh is left of you?" the Puppeteer asked.

"Still 73 percent," Aaron replied.

"I'm surprised you've still got anything left of you, much less 73 percent, what with all the explosions you were in. What about this organisation or that superhero that was after you?" the Puppeteer asked.

"That's taken care of, but I doubt I'll return from the 'deep down low' as you've called it. At this point, it's too much of a risk," he answered and Angelica raised a brow at his reply. "Anyway, have fun with your plan in taking over the continent. Oh, and Puppeteer..."

"Yeah?"

"Don't rob a bank next time you want to make a statement. Go for something bigger, louder. If you want to attract attention, then do it right," Aaron advised and the Puppeteer scoffed.

"I'd never thought I'd see the day where _you_ of all people give me advice on how to attract attention, Mr Invented-the-Down-Low," he snickered and Aaron rolled his eyes.

"I gotta go now. See you around?"

"Yeah, dude, maybe we could team up again some time?" the Puppeteer suggested.

"Nah, I don't think so. The way you're trying to attract attention I don't think teaming up with you would do my own plans any good," Aaron answered.

"Worth a try. See ya around," the Puppeteer said and Aaron hung up. Alexander grinned brightly at Angelica and John's wide open mouths. Aaron put his phone away in a pocket in his sleeve and waited for the two to say something.

"YOU JUST CALLED HIM!" John yelled, in absolute shock.

"That, I did, indeed," Aaron replied with a shrug.

"AND YOU GOT HIM TO TELL YOU HIS PLANS! LIKE IT'S NOTHING!" Angelica joined the shocked yelling. Aaron gave another shrug.

"Well, it wasn't nothing. It was simple, yes, but not nothing," he simply said and Alexander threw an arm around Aaron, pride beaming on his face.

"See! He's full of great resources! Now imagine if we didn't have him!" Alexander grinned brightly. John and Angelica could still not get over the shock.

"You just fucking called him..." John breathed, hand running through his hair and pushing it back as he processed this. Alexander turned to look at Aaron with a questioning look.

"Wait, you mentioned an Electronique? Who's that?" he asked and Aaron shrugged

"Her powers are based on electricity, as her name suggests. She can make anything a weapon, and if it's already a weapon she can make it an even better weapon. If I recall correctly she was captured some time ago. You wouldn't know her, she was Go City's villain for a while. She was a good friend of mine until we lost touch when she got captured. I hear Go City's team broke up," Aaron answered and Angelica scoffed.

"You had friends?" she almost laughed and Alexander nodded.

"Yeah, he did! Who do you think he got all his supplies from? Really, any villain is not a real villain unless they know Aaron. He knows them all and he's the one you go to if you need connections and favours done!" Alexander said like he was proud of Aaron for this. He was basically bragging for him. Angelica crossed her arms.

"If this is truly the case, then I'd like all of those connections and contacts and what-not right now. Do you know how many villains we could have brought down if we knew this from the beginning!" she growled, "Why did you not tell us sooner!"

"Well, it's simple, really," he said but didn't continue after that.

"What? How is it simple? Come on, tell us!" John asked, more curious than impatient, but not by far as impatient as Angelica was becoming.

"It's simple. I am not a sell-out, and my information has its price, a high price. I'm on your side, of course, but the pay here does not cover for my resources, by far. Honestly, I made more money as a villain, and I was barely scraping by most of the time. Besides, your lack of trust or acceptance towards me does not exactly butter me up to give up any information for free. So I shall tell you to do your job and work for it. This one," he pointed at the screen with the Puppeteer still on it, "Was the only freebie you'll get. View it as a taste of what I could offer," he explained, like it was the most obvious thing in the universe. Alexander frowned a bit but didn't interject. John nodded, but Angelica growled.

"Well, how do you expect us to trust you!" she snapped, "You were against us for ten years, and don't make me list the damages you've done, what you've done to us!"

"The only one I've ever done anything to in this organization was Alexander, and he trusts me just fine. Are you spiteful for him? Because, by all means, that makes no sense. Are you spiteful for all the people for whom I caused damage to their things? If so, that's stupid. In the beginning, I completely understood your mistrust in me, absolutely. I was, after all, just brought onto your side, and I didn't expect anyone to trust me then. That, however, was two years ago. And I'd like to think I have proven my sincerity in my 'turning good' sufficiently. If you disagree, that should hardly be my problem. I am merely doing my badly paid job here. If I can't expect your trust, then don't expect mine," he said with such an eerie calmness that it made a shudder run down Angelica's spine. It reminded her that she had a former villain standing in front of her, who could, with his hands alone, kill her. She'd seen him do it. But she was so angry at him.

"What does that have to do with our trust!" she snapped and Aaron looked calmly at Alexander, who slowly nodded after a moment of quiet consideration. Aaron took a threatening step forward, making Angelica, and even John, flinch.

"Of course, you'd say that. After all, you're the heroes. You're allowed to be hypocritical. It is fairly simple. You don't trust me, you don't tell me a thing, even though we've been colleagues for two years. If it weren't for Alexander- well, I wouldn't be on your side in the first place, but let's imagine I had decided to not be a villain anymore on my own. I would not be here. I'd be very dead, or, at the very best, rotting away in a prison. I won't deny the deeds I've done, I won't deny the damage I've caused. But I will not have you deny that I still have some humanity left in me, and that I can call upon it. I am a human, despite my past," his eyes began filling up with black, and he stared deeply into Angelica's eyes with those black orbs. Her breath hitched and fear grew in her stomach as Aaron opened his mouth to show glaringly sharp rows of fangs sitting in his mouth, waiting and itching to be used, pulsating sickly. Alexander cleared his throat and Aaron let the fangs disappear and willed his eyes to return to normal. "I am as human as you are, though I may not always look the part. I won't deny my past, but it makes me not less human than you. I would like you to remember this."Aaron stepped back to Alexander's side, crossing his arms behind his back and Alexander took one of Aaron's hands in his and looked at him worried. "Remember, Angelica: It was my decision to accept what Alexander had offered me. It was my decision to be on your side. I can just as easily reconsider and become your worst nightmare. It would not be hard."

"Aaron, that's not true, is it?" Alexander asked quietly and Aaron's glare softened as he looked at Alexander with neither threat nor malice in his eyes.

"I'll follow you, Alexander. I remember my promise, don't worry, and I won't break it. I'll follow your decisions. Should you decide against them, I'll be by your side," he assured him, "It was a mere threat. I don't like being treated as though I am somehow not a human or less for my past. I may not have the moral high ground, but as you demanded, I will strive for it. Of course, I haven't any qualms abandoning this for your sake alone." Alexander let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm glad to hear this," he smiled. Then he turned to Angelica again. "So, how will we do this? Should I just go there and... stop him? Or do we wait until he tries it out? What's with this Life-force business, anyway?"

It took Angelica a moment to recollect her thoughts as she answered, "Well, I suggest we fight this while he's still in the process of figuring his things out and-"

"Wait, where's your anti-super bracelet? Alexander, where's his bracelet?" John suddenly interjected, confused, startling everyone except Aaron, who'd anticipated this to happen. Alexander scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I may or may not have removed it for him..." he said, holding up the bracelet that was supposed to stop Aaron from using his powers, "But I have a reason, I swear!"

"No reason is good enough to let him have his powers back! You make him get on that bracelet right now, or so help me, I'll-" Angelica threatened and Aaron sighed, taking the bracelet from Alexander, who protested loudly, and put it back onto his wrist. It immediately shrunk and attached itself to his skin. The feeling was uncomfortable and Aaron scratched at it.

"But Angelica, those things are awful! Not being able to use your powers is like not being able to breathe! It is suffocating!" Alexander whined.

"It's alright, Alexander, really. I've suppressed them long enough for it not to be as uncomfortable. Please don't get into trouble on my behalf," Aaron put a hand on Alexander's shoulder and Alexander frowned deeply at what Aaron had said, like there was a deeper meaning behind Aaron's words that only he could grasp.

"As I was saying," Angelica growled to get their attention, "It's best that we just stop him while he's still in the process of figuring his shit out. Surprise him, get him, capture him. Can you do that, Alexander?" she asked and Alexander nodded, though his soured expression didn't change much.

"I suppose I should take my leave then, or did you plan for me to assist this time?" Aaron asked and Angelica shook her head.

"You'll tell him where he can find him and that's it. I will not risk you getting your powers back. And Alexander. You will not let him get the bracelet off ever again. He wears that for a reason," she snapped and Alexander crossed his arms.

"Yeah, because you force him, because you're afraid of something that'll never happen. Seriously! Take a hint! He's on our side!" he exclaimed and Aaron's grip on his shoulder got a tiny bit tighter, a short squeeze.

"I don't care that you think he's on our side. The boss ordered for this, and I am all for it," she firmly said.

"The boss hasn't even met him!" Alexander groaned and Aaron squeezed his shoulder again.

"Let it go, Alexander. We should get going. I'll drive you to his place so you can deal with him, alright?" he asked and Alexander nodded and they were ready to leave when Angelica shook her head.

"You are not driving him there. I am not trusting you alone with him. You will go into custody here for insubordination," she stated simply and Aaron raised a brow.

"Alright. Then you drive him there," Aaron shrugged and Alexander looked at him confused, before he realised what Aaron was doing and grinned. John piped up.

"Angelica, we don't know where he is. He's the only one who knows," John said and Angelica growled at Aaron.

"You manipulative little-"

"I'd hardly call this manipulative. I am merely withholding extremely important information, without which the entire continent would be at risk, and I know that you know this, all simply for what will appear to you to be for my own personal gain. Ah, I suppose that is manipulative, but what will you do against it?" Aaron said, more smug than Angelica had ever seen him, though his straight-faced expression did not change. She was reminded once again that this was a former villain standing in front of her. She was not equipped to deal with this shit.

"Fucking hell, fine! Fine, what do I care! Just get this bastard in prison!" she yelled, throwing her arms up and walking to the back of the room where there was a door that led into her office and she stormed through it. Alexander grinned and nudged Aaron's side.

"What are you, a former supervillain?" he asked with a grin and Aaron nodded.

"I'm not just gonna get rid of these rather useful traits. Come on, let's go. He won't be defeated by himself if he's any good at what he does," Aaron said, making Alexander laugh as they left the room. John turned around to the computers and shrugged, creating a file for this new super villain and filling it with the information they now had thanks to Aaron. He had to admit, Aaron would be a great resource if the organisation trusted him in any way, shape or form, but as long as Alexander was the only one willing to look past Aaron's past that would not happen anytime soon. He sighed and got to work.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as they got into Alexander's car, with Aaron behind the wheel, Alexander reached for Aaron's right wrist and tore off the bracelet, throwing it onto the backseat, and began to gently rub at the line on Aaron's wrist.

"Thank you, Alex," Aaron sighed, massaging his temples with his free hand, trying to alleviate the pain. He quickly shifted through ten different forms before returning to his original form and he sighed in relief.

"Any time. I hate these things, to be honest. If anyone put one of those on me I would seriously flip my shit. Hey, are you alright?" he asked as Aaron put his head on the wheel.

"I suppose I'm alright. Just... frustrated is the word, I believe... Did I handle them better this time?" he asked, silently asking to be reassured in his actions and Alexander gave him such a reassuring smile.

"You did great, don't worry. I was scared you'd go overboard on the transformation, show her something truly horrifying, how truly terrifying you can be if you want, but I'm glad you didn't," he continued rubbing on Aaron's wrist and kissed it with a smirk. Aaron managed the tiniest of smiles at Alexander.

"I hate how you're the only one who understands... the only one willing to help... the only one willing to try... Thank you, Alex. Thank you..." he breathed, tired and exhausted. Alexander was quiet for a minute, deciding Aaron needed someone to just exist with him for a moment.

"Wanna do this one with me?" he asked with a grin and Aaron sighed in relief.

"I thought you'd never ask," he replied and lifted his head from the wheel, turning the key and starting the car. He expertly moved the car out of the parking lot and onto the streets of their city, heading for a particular direction, moving the car through streets Alexander wasn't even sure he knew. Aaron turned off the radio and switched to CD's, putting on their favourite songs compilation and the next hour was filled with Alexander singing (screaming) all the songs at the top of his lungs and Aaron quietly singing along to the different songs, some of his own favourites which he had introduced Alexander to playing as well. At some point, Aaron had parked in front of a small house on the outskirts of town. The house looked abandoned, though Alexander knew that Aaron couldn't be wrong about this villain's location.  
"Alright, we're here," Aaron said and suddenly Alexander got a call from John's phone, though they both knew it would be Angelica on the line and not the more calm second in command of their little team. Alexander sighed and took the call, putting her on speaker.

"Yellow!" he said in greeting.

 

"I will guess you stopped because you're at this villain's location. Alexander, you will send Aaron back right now. This is not up for debate-"

"Nah, he's coming with me today. It's been a lifetime since this old horse got some action in his bones," Alexander grinned and nudged Aaron, who gave a tiny smile, making Alexander's grin grow.

"I said this isn't up for debate, Alexander," Angelica growled, "I got the boss right next to me-"

"Hi, boss! Quick question: Why the fuck won't you let Aaron do anything? He's not allowed to use his powers, not allowed to be close to me? Not allowed to do anything with me! What is up with that?" he asked, somewhat aggressively.

"Alexander, we've been over this," came a male voice from the phone and Alexander groaned.

"Yes, we have been over this, and you still fail each time to explain to me, with proper reasoning, as to why he's not allowed anything," Alexander complained and Aaron was quick to get a hold of his free hand to calm him.

"You refuse to listen to proper reasoning, Alexander, and you continue to disobey me. He is not someone we can trust, no matter what you- he's sitting right next to you and listening to us, isn't he?" their boss deadpanned and Alexander laughed.

"What is that music in the background? I can't understand what it's saying," John suddenly spoke up.

"That's hardly of concern right n-"

"It's a German band. SDP, if you're wondering. The song's called 'Arschloch'. The lyrics are rather fitting," Aaron answered, pronouncing the German word perfectly.

"You speak German?" John asked.

"Wenn auch nur einem von euch bewusst wäre, was ich alles kann und wozu ich in der Lage bin," Aaron said, not actually answering the question directly.

"Of course, you, a villain, would listen to and speak German," Angelica scoffed in the background.

"Hey, that's racist- nationist?-... some other kind of ist!" Alexander piped up and it made Aaron smile. "And he's not a villain!"

"Whatever it is, I want you to send him back as soon as you're out of the car," their boss said, impatient.

"Or what?" Alexander countered.

"Excuse me?" their boss asked in disbelief.

"What are the consequences if I don't? I'm your strongest super- well, actually Aaron is but you don't count him- and if you threw me out that's more your loss. I mean, I could go become an independent superhero and make my money off of merchandise, instead of working for the government, and Aaron won't stay with you. Aaron will you be my manager?" he said and Aaron nodded.

"Where you go, I follow, and we could turn you popular quickly. You're witty during battles and grab attention easily. The newspapers would eat you up and the internet would do the same, but on a larger scale. As long as we put a copyright on your likeness we're set and good. It would earn you a lot more money in a month than the organisation pays you in two years, and you would have better resources and sources regarding villains and such. There're a lot of ways we could go about this, but in the end, it would be overall more beneficial for you to become an independent hero," Aaron supplied and Alexander grinned.

"See? Science is on my side!" Alexander smirked, smug. Aaron rolled his eyes fondly.

"If you do that you will have to give up every bit of tech we ever provided for you," their boss threatened.

"Which I can replace with better things," Aaron immediately countered, "Trust me, you haven't a bit of technology I couldn't get or replicate within a week and get a more advanced model. You should really not underestimate me."

"Yeah! Now shush it and let us do our job, or you'll lose your best employees," Alexander snapped and hung up before their boss could say something in return.

"Thanks for jumping to my defence every time," Aaron put a hand on Alexander's shoulder which Alexander then took in his own with a grin.

"If I didn't, who would? Not you, that's for sure!" he beamed at Aaron who had the tiniest fond smile playing on his lips. "Let's go and beat this guy. What form do you want?"

"I suppose I could take your reversed form?" Aaron asked and Alexander nodded.

"Permission granted!" he grinned and Aaron changed his form to Alexander in his costume but with a reversed colour palette and a mirror as his logo over his chest. Alexander pushed one of the buttons on his shirt and his outfit was replaced by his usual costume to keep his identity secret. They then stepped out of the car, locked it and Aaron led Alexander around the abandoned looking house to the house that was behind it.

"Puppeteer has cameras watching his base, but he never thought about expanding how much he can watch. He can't keep track of too many things at once, except his puppets but that another story," Aaron explained and Alexander nodded.

"Alright, let's go, Mirror," he grinned and it made Aaron play with a tiny smile on his lips.

"Shall I call you by your preferred hero name?" Aaron asked and Alexander nodded violently.

"Yes, please. Skyfall is such a dreadful name. Thank you for not making fun of me for it," he groaned and Aaron let out the smallest of chuckles.

"I know you didn't get to choose it. To some degree I'm glad I'm not an officially listed hero working for the organisation," he replied as he led Alexander near the back door and formed his hand into a blaster, blasting the cameras that could record them.

"Nice, let's do this!" Alexander beamed excitedly and watched as Aaron broke open the door in absolute silence, doing a small bow and gesturing to the door.

"After you," he said and Alexander giggled.

"Such a gentleman," he playfully swooned and snuck through the entrance, Aaron close behind. "Alright, you know this place, where'll he be at?"

"If he's working on the core magnetiser he should be in his workshop. Otherwise, he'll be in the watchtower, scheming and drawing up blueprints. Those rooms are right next to each other with a door connecting them for easy access should he have an inspired moment and need to write it down," Aaron explained, leading Alexander up a pair of stairs. "I've never been in here having to be careful I don't get caught here."

The house looked old and rotten, in every sense of the word, but Aaron explained to Alexander that this was a fairly common aesthetic that many villains chose so that people would dismiss their bases and the real base is very often under the house, though there were some villains that did use the rest of the house as well. It was cheap, he explained, and no one wanted to live in a neighbourhood with rotting houses. Usually, if the villain also lived in the house part of their base they would fix up the interior, but keep the look, making everything seem like it's rotting away under your feet when it really wasn't. It was easier to do that and not get found out. On top of such a base, most villains would have a second and sometimes even a third base where they would execute their plans and/or store the things they've built so that their main base is still a place they can return to should a hero blow up their other locations. Alexander nodded at this information as Aaron opened a door and halted. Alexander peeked over Aaron's shoulder and flinched back. Aaron stepped into the room, humming and approaching a wall, completely ignoring the fact he was standing in a torture chamber. He felt along the wall and grumbled. Alexander took a look around the torture chamber, looking at the tools that lay bloody and rusty on the trays and tables, some hanging from the ceiling and he found some bloody hooks and cages hanging as well, just big enough for a human to fit very uncomfortably in, and as he looked around more he found cells with rusty, but still sturdy looking bars, and a puddle of blood in one of them.

"Hey, remember when you used to torture me? This reminds me of that!" Alexander grinned and Aaron grinned back at him, which looked a bit odd, seeing as he had taken Alexander's form and Alexander found it a bit weird that his own face grinned back at him.

"I remember. Your screams were absolutely delicious," Aaron sighed nostalgically, "Those were the times."

"And then you found out I'm a masochist," Alexander nudged Aaron's side with a smirk.

"Yes, I remember. I pulled your hair and you moaned," Aaron teased.

"You were so surprised you dropped my head onto the hard steel! It was super awkward after that," Alexander teased back. "Well, I mean, after it led to..." he stopped himself with a happy smile and a blush on his cheeks.

"And to this day I remain unconvinced you're not suffering from Stockholm syndrome because of those times," Aaron said and finally found what he was looking for. He pushed against the wall in a particular spot and forced open a door that had been painted over. "I knew there was a door here."

"So, didn't you say he can't see blood? What's with the torture dungeon?" Alexander asked.

"Eh," Aaron shrugged, "He might have changed. It's been seven years, after all."

Alexander nodded and he grew quiet, following him up the pair of stairs he uncovered. Alexander felt a shudder down his spine. Something was wrong. Something was extremely wrong here. He took Aaron's arm, unsure if he should share his concerns. Aaron looked at him, concern in his eyes when suddenly a loud alarm blared in their ears and red lights blinked everywhere. Alexander had no time to react when suddenly an army of puppets attacked them, jumping on them and bringing them to the ground. One of them hit him over the head and everything went black in an instant.

He woke up with a splitting headache and a light glaring into his eyes. A moment later he noticed that he was restrained to a table and when he tested it, he couldn't use his powers. He cursed under his breath and he shot a glance through the room, his eyes widening as he realised he was in the torture dungeon they had found before they had been attacked by those damn puppets. He gasped and kept glancing through the room, trying to find his partner, but he couldn't. He couldn't find him and awful scenarios nested inside his head of Aaron being tortured before he had woken up and having suffered without Alexander there to reassure him everything would eventually be alright. That their team would come looking for them, even though he knew that was not the case.

"Storm, calm. I'm right here," came a calm voice from behind him that made him gasp out a breath in relief. "Breathe with me, Storm. Breathe in," and he waited for Alexander to start sucking in a long breath. "One... two... three... four. Now hold. One... two... three... four...five... six... seven. Now breathe out. One... two... three... four...five... six... seven... eight. You're doing great, Storm."

Aaron was using his normal voice, which comforted Alexander more than he ever cared to admit and he was sure Aaron knew it anyway which was why he used it, but considering his own situation Alexander wondered if the restraints had forced him to do that.

"A- Mirror are you still-" he tried, still breathless.

"I am still in the same form, if the hair in my face is any indicator," this elicited a small laugh from Alexander. "But I can't change, which worries me, but we should be able to get out easily enough."

"Are you sure about that?" came a smug voice that was entirely unfamiliar to Alexander, but which Aaron recognized immediately, and he shut up.

"I, personally, have been in worse situations than this. Dangling over a pot of acid with a mouse eating away at the rope connected to the chains; that's all I'm saying. It's a classic, though. That was a lot of fun," Alexander commented, making the Puppeteer halt for a moment before continuing.

"It seems I have caught some attention, haven't I?" the Puppeteer grinned, approaching the tables upon which Alexander and Aaron were bound.

"I don't know, did you? That robbery was a pretty tiny thing compared to what I've done this week alone," Alexander said, wiggling his toes in his shoes. The Puppeteer sneered at him and reached for something Alexander couldn't see. Suddenly, there was a harsh whipping sound and Aaron screamed, more startled, as he was whipped. Aaron quietly cursed under his breath as the Puppeteer stopped. Alexander was quiet, eyes blown wide open in shock and surprise. He suppressed a whine at Aaron's pained panting. Alexander began squirming, catching the Puppeteer's attention. The Puppeteer sauntered over to Alexander, grabbing one of the torture instruments hanging from the ceiling near the hooks and Alexander made sure he focused on Aaron's breathing, something that always managed to calm him down, somehow. Aaron's breathing was a bit uneven, but he was working on calming down, which, Alexander knew, was for his sake, so he would have an anchor so that he may calm down. He had always wondered how Aaron had done that. How he stayed calm even in situations like this.

"I think I'm going to enjoy torturing you. To whip you until you bleed from every limb of your body, rip out your nails, drench you in water and electrocute you, make you beg for-"

"That's not torture, that's kinky," Alexander blurted, surprising the Puppeteer so much it startled him to a halt. Aaron had to suppress his laughter.

"I'm sorry, what," he asked, baffled and dumbfounded and Aaron grinned, the gears in his head buzzing and turning and getting ideas on how to escape. He did have some metal in his mouth that could help him.

"Piece of advice: don't pull his hair if you don't want this to become awkward for you," Aaron said, doing his best to keep his voice similar to Alexander's so that the Puppeteer wouldn't recognise him.

"I'm sorry, what," the Puppeteer repeated and Alexander snickered and kept talking to keep the Puppeteer's attention on him, confident that Aaron would develop or execute a plan of escape for them.

"You know, I've really seen better. Better torture dungeons, I mean," Alexander commented and the Puppeteer raised a brow.

"Oh really? Pray tell, who had the pleasure of torturing you before?" he asked rather sarcastically.

"Oh, there's this one villain, I bet you've heard of him. Mr Nobody?" Alexander said with a grin and the Puppeteer flinched. Aaron spat out the metal in his mouth and it landed on his table, close to his hand. He stretched and contorted his hand painfully, in an attempt to get it.

"W-wait, _you_ are Mr _Nobody's_ nemesis?!" he yelped, some fear entering his expression. Aaron almost laughed in triumph as he finally got a hold of the metal. He began working on the restraints, which he noticed now were decent but obviously made for a beginner.

"Well, he's not a problem anymore, so not anymore, nope. Anyway, he was way better than you at this whole torturing biz. Like, real scary, real threatening and intimidating, and he could take a joke! Honestly, he was the most fun nemesis I've ever had. He knew how to get a scream out of me, without even touching me! Get on his level," Alexander grinned and Aaron couldn't help but smile at the praise.

"Holy shit, I captured Mr Nobody's nemesis... This is great, this is amazing! I got the biggest attention I could get!" the Puppeteer grinned. "And he said I should have done something bigger than openly rob a bank."

"Who? Mr Nobody? I wonder, why did he call himself Mr Nobody? I mean, there's this phrase ascribed to him, but he never said it! 'Nobody knows', I mean, it fits, and it summed him up pretty well, but why did he choose that name initially?" Alexander kept the Puppeteer distracted with his rambling, who then grinned down at him, all his attention on him.

"Oh, I'm sure he's gonna thank me once I got rid of his nemesis for him once and for all. He'll even be able to return from the deep down low into which you forced him into! Since you are such a special guest, I will let you make the choice of how you will die. Fast and painless is not an option, I will merely let you choose the instrument," the Puppeteer grinned.  
"Such a gentleman," Alexander said and glanced around quickly, looking for the torture instrument that was the furthest away and would give Aaron the most time to execute any sort of plan. "Haven't seen such gentleman...liness? in any villain since Mr Nobody."

"For his nemesis, you're complimenting him a lot," the Puppeteer raised a brow, having completely forgotten about Aaron who was being as quiet as possible as he worked the metal through the restraints on his right arm and- snap! his right arm was free. He grinned and made sure it wasn't noticed, holding the restraint and making it look like it was still attached. He coughed to let Alexander know. Alexander grinned at this and shrugged in response to the Puppeteer's comment.

"He was my nemesis, but I can admit that he was great at what he did. I mean, he got so close so many times to beating me, and it always felt like a deus ex machina when I beat him in the end. And he knows how to torture me. I swear, he knows my body better than I do," he smirked, "and it's so sweet of him that he never told any other villain of any bodily weakness he found! A true gentleman, though he was a villain. Oh, I know!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"What?" he asked, deciding to ignore the 'he knows my body better than I do' statement.

"Electrocution! He always used electricity to torture me! Granted, I'd much rather Mr Nobody kill me than you, a beginner in this whole thing, but I don't think you can arrange that, can you?" Alexander asked sheepishly and the Puppeteer chuckled.

"You must have had an odd relationship with him," he said and crossed the room, back turned to Alexander and Aaron and Aaron quickly and quietly ripped the metal through the restraints on his left arm and on his ankles.

"That odd? I like him well enough, he even made me coffee once! Granted, it was poisoned, but it's the thought that counts!" Alexander giggled and the Puppeteer grimaced.

"How did he put up with you and not immediately have the urge to kill you?" the Puppeteer asked, not expecting Alexander to answer as he made his way back to him with a small wand-like contraption that Alexander recognized, because Aaron had used it on him in the beginning before switching to something else.

"Mr Nobody was so patient with me, especially in the longer run, I can hardly believe my luck. A patient villain isn't something you get every mission. Sure, it kinda sucks when he tortures you and is so patient he can drag it out for hours on end," his breath accidentally hitched at the thought and he smirked through the blush on his cheeks, "but it's a lot better than a villain who has no patience at all," Alexander explained and the Puppeteer loomed over him dangerously, and Alexander gulped as the - what was that thing called again? - in his hand was turned on and he could see the electricity running through it to the top.

"I'm afraid I am not nearly as patient as he is. But I suppose it's better for you, you'll get to die quicker," he smirked and was just about to stab the device into Alexander when Aaron suddenly rushed up from the table and kicked it out of his hand. Aaron shifted his hand into sharp blades and swung them at the Puppeteer, dropping the metal he had used to escape into Alexander's hand, who immediately began cutting through his restraints.  
"How did you escape!" the Puppeteer yelled, summoning his puppets and attacking Aaron with them. Aaron shifted into another form, one with eight blades for arms that spun around his body and he destroyed every puppet that tried to attach itself to him. "Wait, who _are_ you?!" the Puppeteer yelled, "Mr Nobody never said he had two heroes fighting against him!"

Aaron kept quiet as he destroyed the last puppet and swung his blades at the Puppeteer. Alexander finally freed himself with the piece of sharp metal and jumped up from the table onto the ground and was at Aaron's side in less than a second, fast as lightning. From his hands he summoned black clouds that were full of electricity and threw them at the Puppeteer, who lifted his hands, strings protruding from them and trying to attach them onto the clouds, but he failed and the lightning hit him full force.

The Puppeteer screamed and fell to the ground, unconscious. Aaron shifted back into the form with which he mirrored Alexander in his costume in reverse. Aaron was panting, as was Alexander and they exchanged a look and grinned at each other brightly and began laughing.

"Did-did you mean everything you said?" Aaron asked, breathless because of the adrenaline and laughter.

"Well, yeah, every word I said was true," then he added, whispering, "You were the best villain a hero could ask for! Patient, great humour, keeps his monologues short but informative-" Aaron laughed, real, loud laughter, and it made a blush grow on Alexander's cheeks as pride swelled in his chest, "And you've got the greatest laugh!"

"You're adorable. Let's restrain him and then trash the place, yeah? I was thinking, something like setting it on fire? There should be explosives around here," Aaron grinned at Alexander who smirked in return.

"I am loving where this is going," he said, pulling out special handcuffs and putting them on the Puppeteer.


	3. Chapter 3

"Alexander!" John smiled as Alexander burst the door open, Aaron close behind him, carrying an unconscious body, the body of the Puppeteer, into the hall.

"He's not dead, just asleep, don't worry," Alexander assured and John rolled his eyes.

"This is amazing. You got the info and the villain in the same day! I think this calls for a celebration. Drinks are on the boss!" he smirked, but then the door burst open again, with Angelica and their boss striding in. The boss glared at Aaron, who froze to the spot in surprise, though he wasn't intimidated by the boss in the slightest. Alexander stepped closer to him, ready to jump to his defence.

"What is the meaning of this?" the boss gestured at Aaron who had forgotten to shift back into his regular form, "Transform into your form at once!"

Aaron reluctantly obeyed and the boss glared even harsher at him than before.

"Hey, calm down, boss, we got the villain and-" Alexander tried but the boss interrupted him, not even looking at him.

"So this is the face of Mr Nobody," the boss mused and Aaron shook his head.

"No, it isn't," he said and shifted his head in a way that showcased the mask and hat he had worn as a villain, "This is," and he shifted back into his normal form, "This is my face, but I don't suppose you know who I am."

"I would say I do. Your face may not be the same, but you are Mr Nobody," he growled and Aaron shook his head again while Alexander crossed his arms with a huff.

"No, I'm not. I was, but I'm not. Now, why did you suddenly decide to cross my path? I haven't seen you once these two years I've been working alongside Alexander-"

"You should be more careful with your words, Mr Nobody. Just because Alexander trusts you, does not mean that any of us do-"

"Yes, I've noticed. Don't call me Mr Nobody. I'm not a villain anymore. I've been out of the game for two years, I would have hoped you had realised that I don't plan on going back into the game anytime soon," Aaron said, voice and face calm, though Alexander knew he was boiling with anger underneath.

"I will remind you that you have done horrible things, unforgivable atrocities in the past, and I am not inclined to believe you wouldn't do them again," their boss spat and Alexander growled.

"I would return to those acts only if Alexander wanted me to, but he wouldn't," Aaron replied and shrugged. Their boss raised a brow.

"What do you mean if he wanted you to?" he asked.

"Where Alexander goes, I follow. I feel no loyalty to this organisation or to your cause. I follow Alexander," he answered. Their boss narrowed his eyes at him.

"I'm curious... how did Alexander manage to 'get you on our side', which, for the record, I doubt. And I want to know the real story," their boss spat. Aaron nodded.

"If I'm being honest? He makes me laugh," he says like it explains everything, and maybe that's all the explanation he had needed.

"What?" John spoke up, "That's it? He made you laugh and you decided his side is the one you want to be on?"

"Well, it's not all, but yes. His side is the one I want to be on. Only his side. Rather, by his side," Aaron let the smallest, but this time noticeable, smile play on his lips as he looked at Alexander, who blushed and grinned back. "And I have yet to regret my decision. And while your pestering is annoying and your mistrust a nuisance, in the end, you are only a minor inconvenience. Now, where to do we need to bring this man?" and he pointed to the Puppeteer, who was still unconscious and who Aaron was still carrying.

"That guy? Uh, bring him to the lab, there are cells there that prevent powers from being used. Has he anything on him that can hurt anyone?" John supplied rather helpfully and Aaron shook his head in reply.

"We stripped him of his other weapons and blew up his base. Could we call for some guards to bring him to the lab cells? I'd rather not be near them," he asked and John nodded, calling for some guards who took the Puppeteer with them.

"Hey, Aaron," Alexander spoke up and pressed the button on his chest, making his costume disappear, as soon as the guards had left the room, "Let's go home."

"You still have a report to write, Alexander," Angelica reminded him and he groaned.

"We can take our work home with us-" Aaron tried but Angelica interrupted him.

"Oh no, you are not leaving this facility without an anti-super bracelet on!" Angelica stopped Aaron, holding up one of those bracelets and Alexander grimaced. "This is a newer model and you won't get it off without the right tools, which only we have."

"Why does he need to wear that! He'll be with me the whole time, he doesn't need his powers suppressed!" Alexander complained, stepping in front of Aaron who was crossing his arms in a subconscious effort to keep his wrists unexposed so anyone would have a harder time forcing a bracelet on him again. Angelica rolled her eyes.

"He is not to be trusted, Alexander. You experienced how cruel he is, you still have scars from him!" she snapped but Alexander shook his head.

"Yes, I experienced how cruel he can be, but I have also experienced the complete opposite! If any of you bothered to see that side you would know why I trust him despite 'how cruel he is'," he yelled back furiously. He grabbed Aaron's arm, who looked startled and surprised. "We're going home!" he asserted and stormed and ran out of the room, dragging Aaron with him, quicker than the others could stop them.

Alexander jumped into the car as soon as they arrived at it and Aaron made quick to follow and sit behind the wheel. Aaron started the car and quickly moved it onto the street and away from the building, going faster than the speed limit allowed, but he knew the police wouldn't stop their car, what with the official logo of the organisation on it. Aaron didn't even have to ask Alexander where he wanted to go. He had said 'home' and Aaron knew he didn't mean the house where he occasionally lived in. So he kept driving, and he drove out of the city until they arrived at a forest where he parked the car and got out, Alexander following him out. Alexander then proceeded to rip off the logo of the organisation from his car and threw it away, hitting it with lightning, making it burst into flames. Aaron knew what this meant and he approached Alexander who just looked so done with everything. Done and tired and exhausted, and ready to cry. Aaron put a hand on his shoulder and Alexander snapped his head to him. Aaron frowned but made sure his eyes gave the right message of 'I understand'. Alexander breathed out a heavy sigh and flung himself into Aaron's arms, pressing his face and body into his chest. Aaron felt how desperately Alexander wanted and needed to cry, but he couldn't, something was holding back the tears.

"It's not fair," Alexander said, muffled by his face pressed into Aaron's chest. "It's not fair."

"It isn't, it really isn't... but it forces us to make it fair ourselves," Aaron supplied and Alexander groaned.

"Why are you always right?" he asked and stared up at Aaron with tired eyes.

"Because I like to think I know what you need to hear," Aaron said, hugging Alexander close and pressing his lips to his forehead. Alexander smiled lightly.

"You know me best, after all..." Alexander said, voice dropping, "You know my mind and my body better than I do..."

"We should get inside first if this is going where you make it seem like it is," Aaron smiled down at Alexander who smirked up at him.

"Oh, yes, please," he breathed.

Aaron smiled and led Alexander a bit deeper into the forest, and they soon came across a cabin and entered, heading straight for the stone fireplace where Aaron pressed some of the stones in a particular order and the fireplace moved to the side to expose an elevator behind it into which Aaron led Alexander, leading him into his main base.

 

After Alexander had dragged Aaron out of the room, John glared at his boss and Angelica.

"Did you really have to do that?" he asked, feeling some anger bubbling inside him. Angelica turned to look at him with a raised brow.

"Do what? You mean the bracelet?" she asked.

"Sort of. Why do you have to constantly ignore everything Alexander says? He is our most valuable hero, and your behaviour, yours too, boss, doesn't seem to help to keep up his morale and enthusiasm for the job. If I were him, I would've been gone much earlier," he said and his boss glared at him.

"You don't trust Mr Nobody either," the boss replied with a growl.

"I don't trust Aaron, but I trust Alexander enough to believe he has everything under control. You should put more trust in your strongest hero," John asserted and the boss raised a brow.

"And you should watch your mouth. I can fire you easily, Mr Laurens, just like that," and he snapped his fingers. John's eyes widened.

"I'm the only one can work this thing!" he pointed at the computers behind him.

"We can easily find a replacement for you who can figure out how to use it. You are disposable," the boss growled.

"I was just saying that you need to put more trust in Alexander! Mistrust Aaron all you want, but have some faith that Alexander has him under control!" John defended and Angelica looked on with dread between the arguing men.

"You have no authority to order what I 'need' to do, Mr Laurens, and you would do well to learn your place," the boss spat.

"Then view it as some friendly advice, because, and let me tell you, I know Alexander. I have worked with him for over ten years, and I know that when he feels that he isn't trusted, isn't listened to, is ignored like one would a child, that will not end well for you. I predict that he will either quit, or purposefully sabotage the organisation," John growled back. His boss looked at him for a few moments with an icy glare that he defied with his own, and then he turned around, ready to leave the room.

"You're fired," he snapped and John froze in his spot.

"I'm sorry, what?!" John yelled, shocked at this.

"Collect whatever is yours. I want you out of here in two hours and there will be consequences if I find you trespassing, Mr Laurens. Dire consequence. That is an order," and with that, and not a glance back, he left the room. Angelica looked at John with pity. John looked at the ground, utterly shaken. He was breathing heavily, anger, frustration, disbelief, a storm of negative emotions ripping and tearing away at his mind.

"Hey, John-"

"Save it. I... Fuck it... you know what? Fuck it!" he yelled, "Fuck that prick! He can't even run this place this place properly! He can't even keep his employees! Fuck that guy! Fuck! Him!"

He stormed through the door that led to his office next to Angelica's and grabbed his backpack and another bag from it, then grabbed a photograph that showed him and the team about fourteen years ago, their first day together, and another photograph that showed the team two years ago, the day when Aaron had joined. He stuffed the photos in his backpack and stormed back into the room where Angelica still stood. He stormed to the computers and pulled out a screwdriver and made to remove the computers from the wall.

"What are you doing?" Angelica asked, confused.

"These are mine. He told me to collect my things, and he failed to remember that these are mine," he growled and removed the computer from the wall, placing it into his backpack, glad that the screens were thin as could be.

"He will kill you when he finds out!" Angelica hissed, more worried than angry.

"Well, he needs to find out first, won't he? Besides, what will he do when he kills me, like you said? These babies will be hidden where he'll never find them," he growled, removing another computer from the wall.

"Where will you go, though? You live here!" she asked and John stopped for a moment, then angrily continued.

"Well, I'll just have to find a place. I'm sure Alexander would let me crash at his place till I found another job and apartment. Can't be that hard with my resume," he spat and removed three more computers from the wall, making for the last three.

"But where does he even live?" Angelica asked, "We're not supposed to know where anyone in this organisation lives."

"Well, Alexander did put the organisation's logo sticker on his car," John said, and Angelica piped up.

"You didn't-"

"I did. It's not like I saved that info on any other computer other than my head," and he removed the last computer from the wall and placed it into his backpack. After a moment of silence, he pulled out a USB stick and took a long look at it.

"What is that?" Angelica asked and John nodded decisively.

"A little something I've been working on as a pet project... It leaves no trace once it's in and once it's done its job it disappears, but the damage is irreversible," John said, moving the USB to the table.

"A... A virus?" Angelica asked, "You want to infect the entire organisation with a virus?!"

"View it as a lesson not to mess with your employees. Especially when they can do something to hurt you in return," he said, sliding the USB stick into the last computer on the wall, the only computer that hadn't been his n the beginning and was connected to every other computer in the facility. Angelica couldn't stop him, and it was already done. "It will lay dormant for a few days. Then it will strike. See you, Angelica. I want to be gone before the fire begins," he said and removed the USB stick from the computer, tossing it back into his backpack and closing it, slinging it over his shoulders and picking up his other back where he had put in clothes and such. He marched out of the door, leaving Angelica in the room alone, unaware that she was the only one left of their team.

John stormed out of the facility, pulling out his phone and deleting his connections to any network of the organisation. He pulled up a map and where he had pinned Alexander's most often visited places, only one of which could have been his home. He closed the app and pulled up his contacts, jabbing the screen at Alexander's contact and watching impatiently as his phone began dialling.

"Come on, pick up, pick up..." he said as he began walking towards the next bank, because he had no money on him. He waited but it went to voicemail.

"Sorry that you couldn't reach me, I was either too far away from my phone to answer in time, I was busy, asleep, or my phone died. Leave a message after the beep or just text me and I'll call or text back as soon as I can!" and it was followed by a loud beep at which John hung up.

"Dammit, Alexander, why do you never pick up your phone?" John groaned, entering the bank and putting his phone away, hoping that he had enough money for food on his account. His job at the organisation had not paid well at all.

 

Alexander lay in Aaron's arms on the bed they had shared for a little under two years now. While Alexander had his own house, he never really lived there. He hated his house but it was the only thing he could afford with his wage. Aaron, on the other hand, had a huge base hidden away in a mountain. Aaron hadn't paid for it, but it had been a favour returned from another villain, Aaron had once explained to him. Alexander loved being here in Aaron's base, it reminded him of so many things at once, so many adventures and fights and near-death experiences and some odd bonding. Even when Aaron had been a villain and Alexander his nemesis, they had had times when they had bonded. Mostly due to Alexander joking around, as was his nature, and Aaron joking back.

He remembered the time when Aaron had accidentally discovered Alexander's masochistic nature when he had pulled Alexander's hair when he had intended to torture him, and Alexander had flat out moaned. A blush crept to his cheeks at the memory. He remembered how Aaron had dropped his head in surprise.

_Alexander was tied to a steel table and Aaron loomed over him with a dangerous smirk playing on his lips as he gently brushed a hand through Alexander's hair. Alexander gulped, Aaron always started with patient gentleness before he began 'the real fun'. Alexander tried to keep his breath even. He wasn't particularly afraid of this, of Aaron or of the torture to come, but there was something else, some other emotion that he found difficult to describe, that made his heart race quicker at the gentle touch and he braced himself for any pain to come._

_Then, suddenly, Aaron gripped tightly at his hair, grabbing a tight fist full, and pulled._

_"Aaahhhhhooohhh-" Alexander moaned as sparks of pleasure screeched through him from the pain at his scalp, and he then bit his tongue in embarrassment and Aaron, equally as surprised as him, dropped his head onto the steel table. Aaron blinked down at Alexander._

_"This... was a tad unexpected..." he said, quietly, as though to himself._

_"Y-yeah, uh... D-didn't expect you to pull my hair either..." Alexander mumbled, head red as a ripe cherry. Aaron smirked down at him, gently brushing his fingers over Alexander's cheek and down his neck, over a spot that made Alexander shudder._

_"You derive pleasure from pain, I see... perhaps you enjoy what I do to you each time you find yourself atop this table?" he asked with a low voice and Alexander gulped._

_"N-not quite- I mean... That's not how it works, you know..." he stuttered and Aaron bent over so his face came closer to Alexander's._

_"'Not quite'?" he repeated, whispering and brushed his fingers over a spot on Alexander's neck that made him shudder, "Perhaps it's not what is done to you... rather who does it?"_

_"Wh-what are you talking about?" Alexander asked, pretending, badly, that he had no clue what Aaron meant._

_"Is this why you haven't captured me yet, though you could have on so many occasions? Not because you particularly enjoy the pain, but rather the man who inflicts it?" he asked and Alexander flinched with surprised eyes, like a child caught with its hand in the cookie jar, confirming his theory. "I must admit, I'm flattered," he said with a smirk and brushed his fingers along that spot that caused Alexander to shiver and suppress another moan from coming out, his eyes almost falling shut, half-lidded._

_"W-well, I-I mean, uh..." he breathed, but the gentle fingers on his neck were driving him crazy, though he didn't realise he was angling his neck so Aaron's fingers had better access to that particular spot, "I-I mean, c-can you blame m-me? I-I..."_

_"I don't suppose I can... Say, I have a proposition. What do you say, for one night alone, we set aside who we are and indulge in your fantasies?" he smirked with a glint in his eyes. Alexander looked up surprised._

_"Wh- Y-you mean it?" he asked surprised, his voice a hint too hopeful and it elicited a chuckle in Aaron's throat that made Alexander shiver._

_"I have elicited many a scream from your lovely throat. I'm curious to see what other kinds of screams I can bring forth from that mouth," he smirked and leant down, his lips only a centimetre away from Alexander's, "What do you say?"_

_Alexander's heart raced and he looked deeply into Aaron's eyes, looking and searching for a hint of malicious intent, but he let out an almost inaudible moan when he found only lust, mirroring his own, within those eyes staring right into his soul. He wasn't sure if he would grow to regret this, but in this frenzy, he almost didn't care. He licked his lips and moved his head up slightly, but enough for their lips to connect. Sparks exploded in his stomach and he felt Aaron's smirk melt a bit, but never fully disappear. Aaron brushed his other hand through Alexander's hair and held him up a bit more comfortably. Alexander pulled his head back the tiniest bit and gazed longingly into Aaron's eyes, forgetting everything that they were supposed to be._

_"Y-yes, please. Oh fuck, yes, please. Yes, yes, yes," he moaned and heard a click, realising his restraints opened and he threw his newly freed arms around Aaron's neck. Aaron smiled and Alexander dove in for another kiss, more heated than the last. Aaron smirked and pulled Alexander's hair and thus pulled him away from his lips. Alexander let out a low and sensual moan and shuddered as Aaron attacked his neck with kisses and teeth grazing his flesh and Alexander wished he'd bite him and-_

"Alexander?" Aaron interrupted his daydreaming memory. Alexander hadn't realised that his breathing had become louder and heavier at the memory, accompanied by his racing heart. He looked up at Aaron, unaware of the lust Aaron found in his eyes. Aaron gulped, his a slight blush coming onto his cheeks.

"Oh, I'm... I'm sorry, I... I just... Do you remember after you found out that I'm..." Alexander smiled sheepishly and it clicked for Aaron. Aaron smirked down at him.

"And the memory alone brought you into such a state?" he asked, half-lidded eyes smirking down at Alexander, lifting his chin with two fingers and moving his other hand down his naked chest.

"I-I can't help it," Alexander smiled, love-struck.

"Then why don't we-" he tried but the sound of Alexander's phone ringing interrupted him.

"But she'll take away your pain, like a bullet to your brain! Upside, inside out! Livin' la vida loca!" the phone rang and Alexander rushed to get it and reluctantly answered as he saw John was calling him.

"Yellow?" he greeted and was surprised that he heard John on the other end.

"Finally, I tried seven times to call you!" John complained, "I kinda need a favour?"

"A favour? If it has anything to do with-" but John was quick to interrupt.

"The boss fired me," John admitted and Alexander stopped and looked surprised, putting John on speaker.

"What do you mean, he fired you?" he asked and Aaron raised a brow.

"I told him that he really needed to put more trust in you and apparently that rubbed him the wrong way. So he fired me," John grumbled.

"But you live at your office! Where are you gonna go now?" Alexander asked and John sighed.

"That would be where the favour I'm asking for would lead to..." he said and Alexander raised a brow.

"You want to crash at his place?" Aaron asked.

"What? Alexander, you put me on speaker?" John asked. "Nevermind, of course, you did with Aaron in the room. But, yeah, he's right. Can I crash at your place for a bit? I promise I'll be out of your hair as soon as I get another job and my own place, I promise!"

"Calm down, John, of course, you... Well, I'm not usually at 'my place' either way, so I guess you could live there indefinitely," Alexander mused.

"What do you mean you're not usually at your place? Where are you right now?" John asked.

"Um... well... I'm at Aaron's?" he said and waited for John's reaction.

"What do you mean 'at Aaron's'? I always figured he lived at your place?" John asked and Alexander shook his head.

"Well, no, he has his own place... from when he was a villain..." Alexander mumbled.

"Oh? Wait... Wait, you mean his base! You know what, that makes a lot of sense. Why get rid of a perfectly good base if you can still use it for something?" John laughed and Alexander was glad he took it so well.

"So you said you were fired... you don't work for the organisation anymore..." Alexander mused.

"Yup. No job, no bed, no money. I'm pretty much fucked till I find a new job," John sighed and Alexander nodded, looking at Aaron with a silent question. Aaron understood and gave it a moment of thought, but in the end, he nodded.

"John? I might have an idea for you," Alexander started.

"Yeah? Spill, what is it?" John asked.

"Well... Aaron and I were thinking of quitting the organisation. It doesn't pay well at all, treats us like shit, really, it's not worth our effort, we decided... We kinda wanted to become... independent..." Alexander began to explain.

"I'm listening," John nodded and Alexander continued.

"And Aaron already has stuff planned out, how we can become popular, and stuff... So... Wanna join?" he asked and John was silent for a moment.

"Hell to the yes. I'm in," John exclaimed and Alexander sighed relieved, shooting Aaron a grin which he returned with his own.

"Awesome! Wanna come to his base? We could show you around, set things up, we could all live here!" he gasped, "We could make this _our_ base!" and he turned to Aaron, "Will you allow that, Aaron?"

"How could I say no to you?" he returned and kissed Alexander's cheek.

"That was the distinct sound of a kiss, I heard," John piped up and Alexander froze, "Holy shit, I was right! You _did_ woo him into submission!"

"Wait, you're not-"

"I could not care less, if that's what you mean. I got promised a job, bed and food, I'm not complaining if my teammates are fucking or not! Oh, but as your friend, I still need to give him the shovel talk," John grinned and Alexander giggled.

"Alright, knock yourself out," Alexander grinned and handed Aaron the phone.

"Hello, John," Aaron greeted.

"Hey, Aaron! At this point, this is a formality, but if you ever hurt Alexander in any way shape or form he didn't consent to, I will personally rip off your dick and shove it so far up your ass that you can lick your own shit off of it after which I will proceed to gut you and hang you with your own intestines while pouring your stomach acid over your face. Am I understood?" John grinned and Aaron chuckled.

"Of course, of course. I won't hurt him unless he asks me to," Aaron smirked at how red Alexander's face became.

"John, how did you know?" he asked and John laughed.

"Sorry, I heard you two talking about how he discovered you're a masochist, and I've never forgotten this fact since. I can only imagine what he does to you in- he has a torture dungeon, doesn't he? I bet you kept the aesthetic but put some other stuff in there," John said with a smirk and Alexander groaned, thoroughly embarrassed. He could just see how John must be wiggling his eyebrows.

"I changed my mind, you can't come here," he said and Aaron laughed loudly.

"Woah, I have never heard you laugh!" John exclaimed, surprised.

"His laugh is lovely, isn't it? One of the things that made me first fall in love with him," Alexander grinned and kissed Aaron in an attempt to embarrass him, which did not work.

"Okay, I don't need to hear what happens next. Can you text me the location or something and I'll see that I get there?" he asked and Alexander shook his head.

"Nah. I know no one can look into your messages, you computer genius, but Aaron and I have to finish something here," he winked at Aaron who chuckled, "Tell you what, you go to some café or something for two hours and we'll pick you up, yeah?"

"I have a feeling I know what you two have to finish, but I won't complain. Use protection. Which café do you mean? Should I just text you my location when I find one?" John asked.

"Yeah, that would be the best. See you in two hours!" Alexander replied and hung up, tossing his phone onto the nightstand and crawling into Aaron's lap.

"Now, where were we?" Aaron asked, a smirk on his lips and lustful eyes half-lidded, an expression copied by Alexander.

"Need me to refresh your memory?" he replied seductively and Aaron licked his lips.

"I might need some help, yes," Aaron whispered, grabbing Alexander's hair and pushing their lips together, pulling at Alexander's hair and eliciting a moan which he swallowed up.

 

Two years later, their plans had worked out nigh perfectly. Storm and Mirror became a renowned and famous team, with John working behind the scenes to help. John had finally come to trust Aaron, who had let him use his old tech lab to his heart's content, and Alexander couldn't be happier, he honestly couldn't. They were unbeatable as a team and with Aaron's connections with major villains they could always call in a favour if they did need help, for example, if a new villain entered the game and they had no information on them. Aaron also began to build more connections, but undercover, pretending to be Mr Nobody again. And Alexander was the glue that kept the team together and going and the longer John watched their interactions the more he understood what Aaron had meant when he answered the question of how Alexander managed to get him on the good side. He makes him laugh.


End file.
